Ohio State University's student-athletes hit the books as hard as they hit the gym, scoring big in the classroom according to the latest Graduation Success Rate report by the NCAA. The Buckeyes are on a roll, maintaining a single-year GSR of 94 and a four-year rolling average of 93 — the highest in school history for the third consecutive year, as per a recent Ohio State University announcement.
What's remarkable is the NCAA's GSR continues to more accurately measure student-athletes' progress by including what has come to rapidly grow as a part of the collegiate athletic environment — the transfer and mid-year enrollee contingent. The impressive stats include freshman cohorts from 2015-2016 to 2018-2019. The Faculty Athletics Representative John E. Davidson heralded the consistency of Ohio State's athletes, saying, "These high scores reflect a culture of care that values academic achievement as a prime component of the world-class student-athlete experience," in a statement obtained by OSU News.
It's not just a few teams at Ohio State showing academic prowess, either. Fifteen teams scored a perfect 100 in the GSR, which includes a range from artistic swimming to wrestling. An additional eight teams hit a strong showing with scores of 90 or above, showcasing the widespread commitment to academics across all athletic programs.
Among the athletic teams, twelve managed to either maintain a perfect score or further improve it from the previous year — a testament to how consistently the coaches and the Student Athlete Support Services Office staff have worked to support to truly enable these students to excel. Davidson added, "That two-thirds of the 25 teams maintaining or improving on last year’s score attained a perfect 100 speaks to the commitment of coaches, the support of the Student Athlete Support Services Office staff, and, most of all, the incredible dedication of student-athletes to succeed to the utmost of their abilities in all their endeavors," OSU News reported.
Even the Buckeyes' football team continues to charge ahead with academic success, maintaining their program-best GSR score of 89 for the fourth consecutive year. This particular accomplishment is noteworthy for a program often in the limelight for its on-field achievements. The consistent academic performance places Ohio State's student-athletes in a league of their own, setting an example for what it means to be a student first and an athlete second — an ethos seemingly embedded into the culture of OSU's athletics.
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